


Her

by thishazeleyeddemon



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: F/M, F/M mentioned, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-21
Updated: 2013-07-21
Packaged: 2017-12-20 20:51:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/891716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thishazeleyeddemon/pseuds/thishazeleyeddemon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspiration comes from unlikely sources.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Her

_January, 2001-_

Neil Gaiman sits alone at his desk. Mary has taken Michael, Holly, and Madeleine out, leaving him alone in the house. He wasn't feeling well.

It's shadowy in the house, and cold. He's not uncomfortable enough to turn on the heater. The cold light of the computer screen is comforting, in some strange way.

He wants to write; it's a good way to relax, as well as earn his salary, but right now he seems to be out of ideas.

He senses rather then hears her enter. The shadows lengthen and the air stills. He exhales, slowly. His breath mists on the now frigid air.

He speaks.

"Why have you come?" He is aware he cannot force her to leave, though he would like to.

A voice answers.

"I can."

He turns, without rising from his chair. She is dressed all in black. Her eyes are blank, black as a moonless night. There is no light reflected from them. Her hair is black and curly, her skin dark. She is hard to quite focus on. She seems to be, almost at the same time, a shadow and a person.

He's read  _The Color of Magic_. He remembers what Pratchett wrote of Fate's eyes, of them being black pits opening up to stars, deep, hypnotizing.

Her eyes have no stars. She is too dark for stars.

"What do you want?" he asks.

"I wanted to see if you were writing anything. I like your stories."

He smiles, a quick, half-smile. "You would. You did inspire some."

"Interesting. Which?"

"I think you can figure it out."

She doesn't reply to that. She looks at the computer screen. Five seconds pass, then she calmly walks toward the computer. He scoots away.

She reads what he's written. She looks at him.

"Gaiman, that's not good writing."

He nods, wordless.

She thinks, and then smiles with the happiness of a really terrifying idea.

She begins to speak rapidly. "If you wish to weave a tale to strike fear into the hearts of adults and children, write…a story with a trap. Write a creature that lures away children and attacks adults. Write a story of lies and falsehoods."

With that, she leaves. The shadows retreat and the air turns warm.

Gaiman stares at his computer for a few seconds, and then begins to type.

In January of next year,  _Coraline_  hits the shelves.

A/N: The idea clobbed me over the head with a hammer. I'm sorry.

 


End file.
